Metering conveyor

Abstract

The task to provide a weigh feeder that permits more reliable control of the amount of bulk material transported by the weigh feeder is solved according to the invention in that a motor-driven conveyor is mounted separately and completely floating to convey the bulk material, in which a number of measurement devices are provided that are arranged and designed in order to determine the weight load of the conveyor from the bulk material. Through separate, completely floating support of the conveyor, a uniform force effect on the support of the conveyor and on the load cells arranged on it is achieved. The conveyor can therefore be weighed without a lever effect caused by a fixed bearing. Through separate, completely floating support of the conveyor, exclusively the weight of the entire conveyor without the weight of other components of the weigh feeder can also be determined.

1 . Weigh feeder for bulk material with a motor-driven conveyor ( 24 ) to convey bulk material, characterized by the fact that the conveyor ( 24 ) is mounted separately and completely floating, a number of measurement devices being provided, arranged and designed to determine the weight load of the conveyor ( 24 ) from the bulk material. 
     
     
         2 . Weigh feeder according to  claim 1 , in which a number of measurement devices are arranged in the area of the floating support ( 30 ,  32 ) of the conveyor ( 24 ) between the conveyor ( 24 ) and a support structure ( 10 ), on which the conveyor ( 24 ) is mounted completely floating and independent of other components of the weigh feeder. 
     
     
         3 . Weigh feeder according to the preceding claim, in which the conveyor ( 24 ) is mounted relative to the support structure ( 10 ) via a number of floating self-aligning bearings ( 30 ,  32 ). 
     
     
         4 . Weigh feeder according to the preceding claim, in which a measurement device is provided on at least one floating self-aligning bearing ( 30 ,  32 ), which determines the weight load of the corresponding bearing ( 30 ,  32 ). 
     
     
         5 . Weigh feeder according to the preceding claim, in which the floating self-aligning bearings ( 30 ,  32 ) with the measurement devices are arranged outside the receiving area, in which the bulk material is received by the conveyor ( 24 ) and are arranged outside the discharge area, in which the bulk material is discharged from the conveyor ( 24 ). 
     
     
         6 . Weigh feeder according to one of the preceding claims, in which the conveyor ( 24 ) is designed as a conveyor screw or conveyor belt and the motor drive (M) of the conveyor ( 24 ) is controllable. 
     
     
         7 . Weigh feeder according to one of the preceding claims, in which at least a number of measurement devices are designed as load cells suitable for measurement of weight loads. 
     
     
         8 . Weigh feeder according to one of the preceding claims, in which the weigh feeder is designed as a screw weigh feeder or screw weigher ( 20 ) to supply an incinerator with combustible material. 
     
     
         9 . Weigh feeder according to one of the preceding claims, in which a speed measurement device (M, T) is provided, which measures the conveyor speed (V) of the conveyor ( 24 ). 
     
     
         10 . Weigh feeder according to one of the preceding claims, in which electronic devices ( 40 ,  41 ) are provided, designed to evaluate the measurement signals determined by the speed measurement device (M, T) and the weight load measurement devices and to determine the load (Q) and/or conveyor power (P) of the conveyor ( 24 ) from them. 
     
     
         11 . Weigh feeder according to one of the preceding claims, in which electronic devices ( 40 ,  41 ) are provided, designed to determine the weight load of the conveyor ( 24 ) from the sum and/or an average value of the measured values furnished by several measurement devices. 
     
     
         12 . Weigh feeder according to one of the preceding claims, in which electronic devices ( 40 ,  41 ) are provided, designed to compare a load (Q act ) of the conveyor ( 24 ) determined by the measurement devices with a stipulated target value (Q tar ) of the load. 
     
     
         13 . Weigh feeder according to one of the preceding claims, in which electronic devices ( 40 ,  41 ) are provided, designed to control the speed (V) of the motor drive (M) of the conveyor ( 24 ) and/or the output of a metering device ( 1 ,  14 ), from which the bulk material is fed to the conveyor ( 24 ) as a function of the recorded operating parameters, so that the load (Q) of the conveyor ( 24 ) is kept constant. 
     
     
         14 . Weigh feeder according to one of the preceding claims, in which electronic devices ( 40 ,  41 ) are provided, designed to control the speed (V) of the motor drive (M) of the conveyor ( 24 ) and/or the output of a metering device ( 1 ,  14 ), from which the bulk material is fed to the conveyor ( 24 ), as a function of the comparison between the determined load (Q act ) of the conveyor ( 24 ) with the stipulated target value (Q tar ) of the load, so that the load (Q) of the conveyor ( 24 ) is kept constant. 
     
     
         15 . Weigh feeder according to one of the preceding claims, in which electronic devices ( 40 ,  41 ) are provided, designed to control the speed (V) of the motor drive (M) of the conveyor ( 24 ) and/or the output of a metering device ( 1 ,  14 ), from which the bulk material is fed to the conveyor ( 24 ) as a function of the comparison between the determined load (Q act ) of the conveyor ( 24 ) with the stipulated target value (Q tar ) of the load, so that the stipulated target value (Q tar ) of the load is reached. 
     
     
         16 . Weigh feeder according to one of the two preceding claims, in which electronic devices ( 40 ,  41 ) are provided, designed to set the ratio between the speed (V) of the motor drive (M) of the conveyor ( 24 ) and the output of the metering device ( 1 ,  14 ). 
     
     
         17 . Method for operating a weigh feeder for bulk material according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the following steps:
 Measurement of the weight load of the conveyor ( 24 ) via a number of measurement devices;   Determination of the load of the conveyor ( 24 ) from the speed (V) of the motor drive (M) and the weight load of the conveyor ( 24 );   Comparison of the determined load (Q) of the conveyor ( 24 ) with a stipulated target value (Q tar ) of the load; and   Adjustment of the speed of the motor drive (M) of the conveyor ( 24 ) and/or adjustment of the metering of bulk material to the conveyor ( 24 ) as a function of comparison between the determined load (Q act ) of the conveyor ( 24 ) with the stipulated target value (Q tar ) of a load.   
     
     
         18 . Method according to  claim 15 , further comprising the step:
 Control of the output of a metering device ( 1 ,  14 ), from which the bulk material is fed to the conveyor ( 24 ), as a function of the comparison between the determined load (Q act ) of the conveyor ( 24 ) with the stipulated target value (Q tar ) of the load.   
     
     
         19 . Method according to one of the  claims 15  to  16 , in which control of the speed (V) of the motor drive (M) of the conveyor ( 24 ) and/or the output of the metering device ( 1 ,  14 ) occurs, so that the load (Q) of the weigh feeder is kept constant. 
     
     
         20 . Method according to one of the  claims 15  to  17 , in which control of the speed (V) of the motor drive (M) of the conveyor ( 24 ) and/or the output of the metering device ( 1 ,  14 ) occurs, so that a stipulated target value (Q tar ) of the load of the weigh feeder is reached. 
     
     
         21 . Method according to one of the  claims 15  to  18 , further comprising the step:
 Determination of the weight load of the conveyor ( 24 ) from the sum and/or from an average value of the measured values furnished by several measurement devices.